Rivers Inlet diesel spill

DISCLAIMER: Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management B.C. Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change as new information becomes available.

Incident Description

Incident Date	February 15, 2021
Name	Rivers Inlet Diesel Spill
Source	Storage Tank
Nearest Community	Rivers Inlet
Spilled Content	Diesel
Who is involved?	Wuikinuxv First Nation, Heiltsuk First Nation, B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Indigenous Services Canada, Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), First Nations Health Authority, and Emergency Management B.C (EMBC), GHD Environmental, Nucor Environmental Solutions Ltd.

 

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Response Phase Detail

The responsible person or spiller is legally required to clean-up or manage the clean-up of a spill. In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the clean up, the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy (ENV) may assume the role. The updates below reflect the Ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions; details describe the spill response phase, only, and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. See More Information for other related reports. 

Updates are in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF).

Most Recent Update

March 11, 2021 - 4:30 pm

The diesel and gasoline tanker have been emptied and shipped to an off-site facility for disposal. Measures have been put in place at the site to reduce the spread of any remaining spilled product.

Soil remediation plans continue to be developed in consultation with provincial and federal agencies. Containment booms remain in place and are being maintained to capture trace amounts of product in the water.

Environmental Emergency Response Officers (EERO) with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) are working with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and officials from the Wuikinuxv Nation, and will continue to monitor the situation remotely.

No further updates are expected at this time.

February 23, 2021 - 1:45 pm

Steps to enhance containment of the remaining spilled material continue with the assistance of an emergency response contractor now on site. Offloading of tank trucks holding collected material will be removed from site in the coming days.

Water sampling and wildlife plans are being developed with no sightings of any animals in distress. Environmental Emergency Response Officers (EERO) with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) remain on-site.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

February 19, 2021 - 9:50 am

A secondary boom has been deployed around the primary containment boom in Rivers Inlet and work continues at the site to mitigate ground pollution. 

The B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) conducted a conference call with Wuikinuxv First Nation representatives, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to identify and prioritize culturally and environmentally sensitive sites in the spill area.

Two provincial Environmental Emergency Response Officers (EEROs) arrived on site yesterday to assist with the efforts.

A second overflight by the National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) is scheduled, weather permitting.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

February 16, 2021 - 12:50 pm

On February 15 at 4:21 pm it was reported that a diesel storage tank used to supply an emergency power generator released an estimated 7000 L of diesel into Rivers Inlet and sheening has been reported in the area. 

Two local Coastal Guardian Watch vessels are on site. A Transport Canada National Area Surveillance Program (NASP) over-flight has been ordered.

A coordination call with representatives from Wuikinuxv First Nation, Heiltsuk First Nation, the  B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Emergency Management B.C. (EMBC), the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Indigenous Services Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) was held earlier today. Equipment and resources are being transported to the community. The estimated time of arrival is 2:30pm. 

Further coordinating calls are scheduled for this afternoon to identify resources at risk and determine priorities for protection and next steps. Environment and Climate Change Canada is developing spill trajectory modelling and collecting potential resources at risk data.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.